A new European study, Public Funding for the Performing Arts in European Rural Areas, commissioned by the SPARSE Plus project co-funded by Creative Europe, reveals a persistent territorial imbalance in cultural funding, with predominantly urban areas capturing the largest share of recorded support while rural territories remain consistently under-represented.
Produced by Chloe Sustainability, with SPARSE Plus partner and advisory group contributions, the report was undertaken to understand how performing arts funding reaches rural areas across Europe.
It maps existing disparities and identifies practical changes that could improve opportunities for communities beyond urban centres.
Based on available recorded data, the analysis shows that predominantly rural territories consistently receive the smallest share of recorded national funding; with rural areas accounting for a significant
proportion of the population while attracting only a limited share of public funding for the performing arts.
Differences also emerge between artforms; music benefits from stronger funding support and presence in rural areas while theatre and dance are particularly under-represented, raising concerns about the diversity of professional cultural opportunities available outside city areas.
The study suggests that rural disadvantage often stems less from formal eligibility than from the practical conditions under which organisations operate, making supposedly open funding schemes difficult to access in practice.
The findings underline the importance of rural touring networks and support mechanisms that address the real costs of mobility, coordination and hosting. The study outlines a series of practical adjustments that could help ensure that access to culture does not depend on where people live.
“All rural communities around Europe deserve professional performing arts opportunities!” – Daniele Sepe, Deputy Director of AMAT ( SPARSE Plus Lead Partner).
“Research is important for rural touring – it makes the invisible visible!” – Ralph Lister, Executive Director of Take Art ( SPARSE Plus consultant).
“Culture should not be concentrated only where funding structures are strongest. Rural communities are
places of creativity, participation and innovation, and public support systems should recognise their value
and potential.” – Adriana Světlíková, Director, Nova Sit ( SPARSE Plus partner)
The full report, Public Funding for the Performing Arts in European Rural Areas, is available here.
SPARSE Plus is a project co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.The opinions and statements contained herein reflect the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.